Cassette loader



Jan. 22, 1963 K. M. SANO 3,075,080

CASSETTE LOADER Filed Jan. 26, 1960 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 22, 1963 FiledJan. 26. 1960 K. M. sANo CASSETTE LOADER 6' Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 2

FIG.3

Jan. 22, 1963 Filed Jan. 26, 1960 K. M. SANO CASSETTE LOADER 6Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. 8

6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Jan. 22, 1963 K. M. sANo CASSETTE LOADER Filed Jan. 26,1960 FIG. 9

K. M. SANO CASSETTE LOADER Jan. 22, 1963 6 Sheets-Sheet 5I Filed Jan.26, 1960 Filed Jan. 26. 1960 K. M` SANO CASSETTE LOADER 6 Sheets-Sheet 687\ FIG. H |85 72\ M H3 as "4 r 97 Y? -96 BIC 87 FIG. l2

United States Patent() 3,75,tlti CASSETTE LQADER Karel Marcel Sano,Borsbeek-Antwerp, Belgium, assigner to Gevaert Photo-Producten NN.,Mortsel, Belgium, a

Beigian company Fiied Jan. 26, 1960, Ser. No. 4,694 Claims priority,applicadon Netherlands dan. 30, 1959 6 Claims. (Cl. 259-66) The presentinvention relates to an apparatus for loading sheet a'ilm cassettes,particularly for X-ray lm.

It is known that a dark room must be used for treating X-ray tilm.

in British Patent Specilication 502,014 is described a method foravoiding this diicu-lty during the loading of a cassette and forreducing the Waste of time involved therewith. The lilm is in daylightdirectly withdrawn from a supply box and brought into the cassettethrough a light-tight slit along which the supply box and the cassetteare temporarily in contact with each other. For this purpose is used acassette .with light-tight entrance slot. At the same time, thecassetteiis brought with the hand into contact with the supply box.

1t is further known that if the whole loading operation should runautomatically for a cassette of lthe standard type, the lid of whichopens hingingly, the cassette must be brought into a light-tight spacewhich contains a mechanical device in order to open the cassette, to in--troduce the t'ilm and to close the cassette.

Ncw has been found an automatic apparatus, which unlocks and opens thecassette, whereby the film can be brought into the cassette. Next thecassette is closed again and locked, whereafter the lid on which thecassette lies during treatment turns open so that the loaded cassettecan be withdrawn.

`It is an adavntage of the present invention that when using the newapparatus the intervention of the laboratory man is limited to layingthe empty cassette onto the opened cover of the apparatus. Closing7 thecover brings the cassette into the suitable position for being openedand loaded and keeps the apparatus light-tight.

An interesting use of the apparatus according to the present inventionconsists therein that it can be used as link in the complete operationi.e. loading the cassette, exposing the tilm, developing and iinishingthe film. The various steps can thus occur without the need or darkroom.

A construction according to the features of the present invention isillustrated in the accompanying drawing. Further is given an example ofconstruction wherein the apparatus according to the present invention ispreceded by an apparatus for removing tilm packed in folded wrapper fromthe same and guiding the lilrn sheet thus obtained to the openedcassette, as described in my copending application Serial No. 4,707,tiled Ianuary 26, 1960.

in this Way is obtained an automatic cassette loading system by startingfrom a pack of X-ray -lm packed in folded wrapper.

FIG. 1 is a vertical cross section of the apparatus according to theinvention on line l-l of FlG. 3.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the mechanism for unlocking, opening, loading,closing and locking the cassette.

FIG. 3 is a cross section on line lll-III of FIG. l of the mechanismaccording to FIG. 2.

FG. 4 -is a side view of the mechanism for opening and closing theapparatus according to the invention.

FIG. 5 is the motion diagram of the cams provided in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4.

FIG. 6 is the lock of the cassette in front view.

FIG. 7 is the slot of the cassette in cross section on the line Vll--VIIof FIG. 8.

ICS

FIG. 8 is a front view of the cassette.

IFIG. 9 is a vertical cross section of an automatic cassette loadersystem on line I-l of FIGS. 3 and ll.

FIG. 10 is a partial longitudinal cross section of the apparatusexpulsing the packed lm sheets and the apparatus which separates thefilm sheet from the folded Wrapper.

FIG. 1l is a partial cross section of the apparatus for separating thefilm sheet from the folded Wrapper on line Xl-XI of FIG. 9.

FIG. l2 is a sche-me of the driving of the automatic lcassette loadersystem.

'lhe apparatus is mounted in a light-tight cabinet 1. A channel 2 formsthe light-tight connection between the cabinet l and the ilm sup-ply.The cabinet 1 consists of a frame 3` with an edge 4, a rear wall S and alid hinging around 7 and closing light-tight the cabinet. The lid 6 isopened and closed by means of an arm 8. FIG. 4 shows the mechanism,which controls the movement of the lid 6. An arm 9 rests with its forkedend 10 on a turning cam shaft 11 and it is on the other hand tixed bymeans of the spindle 12. to the arm S. On the arm 9 a small roller 13 ismounted on the spindle 14. A cam 15 driven by the shaft 11, controls themovement of the arm 9 Iby way of this roller 13. The arrangement clearlyshows that by action of the cam 15 during one complete revolution of theshaft the lid 6 is once gradually opened and closed according to thecurve c of FiG. 5. In this figure, the revolution of the shaft 11 islinearly plotted from the position 0 to 9. In point O of the curve thelid is open and it closes gradually and remains closed from l to 8 andafterwards it opens again gradually.

The cams 15, 17, 18 and 19 are fixed to the same shaft 11 (FIGS. 2 and3). The cams 16 and 17 respectively control the levers 2i) and 21 bymeans of the rollers 22 and 23. These levers 2l) and 21 turn around theshaft 24 and they are joined by an intermediate member 25. The lowerends 26 and 27 are respectively joined by the spindles 2-8 and 29 to thelevers 3b and 31. The small rollers 32 and 33 which are respectivelymounted on the levers 3l) and 31 are pressed against the cams bysprings, such as spring 34 illustrated in FIG. l. The levers 30 and 31are provided respectively with the small rollers 38 and 39 whichcooperate with the projections 40 and 41 of the slide `42. The object ofthis slide 4Z is to close lig t-tight the opening 44 when the rollers32, and 33 respectively are on the high edges of the cams 18 and 19. Theslide opens channel 2 when these rollers are on the lowest parts of thecams. The distance between the projections 4d and 41 ensures thestandstill of the slide during the movements of the levers 30 and 31 forunlocking and opening the cassette.

The two levers 30 and 31 have also two cylindric members d5 and 45 eachof them provided with a rod le and 46' having a flange as support forthe spring t7 (FIG. 7). Moreover, each rod has on its foremost end aspecially conic part 48 and a thinner part 49. The rods are kept in themembers by a disc 50.

The ends 36 and 37 of the levers lilly and 31 have a double movement:the rst one a turning around the spindles 2S and 29' caused by the cams18 and 19 and the rollers 32 and 33; the second one yan up and downgoing movement caused by the levers Ztl and 21 which by the cams 16 and17 turn around the shaft 24.

The first mentioned movement of the levers Sil* and 31 by the cams l,19* is schematically represented in curve a of FIG. 5. Between 0 and 1the levers 30 and 31 are on the high part of the cam, from 1 to 2 therollers 32, and 33 run over a projection of the cam where they remainfrom 2 to 3, whereby the levers 3d and 3,1 come in the oremost position.From 3 'to 4 the levers return and remain in this position from 4 to 5.Afterwards, the

second half ofthe rotation ofthe shaft 11 starts 'and the levers movefrom to 9, symmetrically but in a reverse order with the rstcycle. Y

The second up and down going movement of the'levers 3`01and 31 isrepresented by the curverb of FIG. 5. There is a descending movementfrom 2 to 3 yand a rising one from 6 to7, with a short heightened partnear 7.

The length of the projections 40' and'41 is sufficient to fall withinthe range of Ithe rollers 38 and v39 during the rising movement of thelevers 30 and 31.

On the inner side, -the lid 6 comprises a frame 52 which encloses thecassette 15-1 on threesides. This cassette 51 (FIGS. 6, 7 and 8)consists ofa rectangular frame 53, with a back 54and a lid 55,provided'with'a hinge 56 and a locking device 57. This'locking deviceY57 consists of a thin lath with two teeth 58 whichcooperate with thenotches 590i lthe frame '53. :The locking device 57 is fixed to the lidS5' by means of screws orrivets 60 mounted in" slides 61, so that' thelocking device can slide in transverse direction. The lockingdevicehasalso twlo square holes 62 with sloping'sides V 63 and 64.

In'respect' of the holes` 62the rods 46 and Y46 are arnanged in such away that the'conic end 48 when shutting the l-id 55v enters into thehole 62. At the same time, the springs 47 become compressed. f Y

Though the different shafts can Vbe hand-driven; it is obvious thatautomatical'drive by vmeans* of an electric motor with adapted switchcontacts makes the cassette loader really practical and useful. j p

Hereinafter follows an ample example of construction wherein drivingis'carried out electrically. The apparatus according to the invention isherein proceeded by a device which each time takes one packed film froma pack of X-ray film packed in folded wrapper and next brings it intothe channel giving access to the cassette loader. `In such a way, onedisposes of a full-automatic cassette loader. This construction is shownin FIG. 9'.

The film container 65 consists of a rectangular frame 66 with top plate67 enclosed bya light-tight case 68 with side walls 69, a cover 70 afront wall 71 and a rear wall 72. Between the walls 71, 72 and the topplate 67 there are the slots 73 and 74 the height lof which is adjustedfor giving access to only one film in its paper pack-.ing (FIG. In thislower packing, the lm 75 and the folded wrapper 76 are marked. The otherpackings 77 are not marked.V Normally a Vforty packings can be stored inthe lm holder.

The top plate 67 is provided with two slots 78 and 78 wherein twochainsV 79 and'80 run (FIGS. 9, 10, ll). A cnoss bar 81 showing anexcavation 82 at the 'front side and a Yrounding' 83 lat the other sideis fixed between these chains. Chain 79 e.g. is tightened on the chainwheels 84-85 mounted on the shafts 86'and 87.

.l The chain V80 is mounted on these shafts in the same w-ay.

The shaft 86 is driven by a toothed wheel 113.

In order to expulse a film `packing the shaft 86 is turned arrow-wise(FIG. l0). The cross bar pushes the lower film 75 with its foldedwrapper 76 forward. The slits 73 and 74 are accurately adjusted onA thethickness of the film packing with small tolerance of about Obviouslyonly one film at the same timeoan be expulsed.

The film 75 .is relatively rigid and only bends down l a little becauseof the gravity, so that it will followthe line 89 when ybeing expulsed.The upper part 76a of the'folded wrapper 76 rests on the film till itslips into l channel 2. The lower part 7611 of the folded wrapper isfree, bends downward and follows line90. A separating knife 91 ensuresthe ventire separation of the film from folded wrapper. The film 75ybecomes freely available on the'line 89. The'folded wrapper is removedby means of the rollers 92 and 93 which'are respectively on the shafts94 and95 and which pressA agains't'each other `and are mountedflight-tight.

- rlihe-'lm container 65 is removable 'from theV cassette loader towhich it is fixed and has ta light-tight frame 96 4 made of 'supple orelastic material. YWhile loading the film container in |a dark room itis closed by a slide 97.

The film guiding channel 2 (FIGS. 9, l() and 1l) comprised a rear wall98 land a front wall 99. At the inner side, the rear lwall is providedwith step sections 100, 101 and 102. The films of different width, whichcan be used in the apparatus are vertically conducted by the stepsbetween the sections.

The upperY opening 1013 of 'the channel connects lighttight to the filmcontainer'65. VA member '164 on the full width of the opening Agivesaccess to the rollers 92 and 93. Y

In FIG. l2 the dri-ving scheme' of the apparatus-is represented. Herein1()7 is an electric motor, driving .a worm A108 and -a worm wheel 109'which operates the transmission shaft 110. Both worm and worm wheel areplaced in a gear box 111. 0n shaft 1.10" is fixed a toothed wheel 112Vwhich drives the toothed wheel 113and'in this way drives both the chains`79--801a`nd' the cross-bar 81.

' the pulley 115.

rIlhe shaft 110 efiectuates athird driving, i.e. that `of Y the leversof the cassette loader 1 over'the shaft 11. There- 25-v fore vare used achain '119, chain'wheels 1'17'and 118 and the shafts 120 and 121 as wellasf-the toothed wheeltransmissions 122 and '1231. AIn 124 and '125 isVshown anelectromagnetic clutch'operated bya solenoid 126. rThe solenoid126 is excited'by 1a-c'ontrol box 127.

The shaft 110 drives two electric contact cams 1128 and 129 on shaft 130by the toothed wheels 131 and 132.

By a short pression on the push button 133, the motor 107 is stan-ted bymeans of 'the control box'134. The contact, andthe resulting motion, ismaintained by a cam 129.

i During this phase the chains 79 and 80 are driven and the cross bar 81moves arrow Wise. -The gear ratio is chosen in such a way that the shaft13G-makes about half a revolution to move the bar 81 from the position81a tothe position 81b, i.e. the first phase.

The contact cam 129 is thus chosen that Vthe motor stops when the point81b of the chain position is reached. The

rst phase is over. During this phase the contact-128 was open so that124 and 125 were not coupled and the shaft 11 did not move. Y

A second short push onto the'pushrlbutton 13-3 makes the motor turningfurther and the cam 129 keeps the motor turning till the bar has reachedits position 81a.

` `A-t this moment, .the current is interrupted Vby the cam 129.

This is the second phase.

During this second phase, the coupling 124-125 will be realized by thesolenoid 126, -being excited by the control box 127 and the contact 12S.The tnansmission ratio has `been chosen in such a way thatthe shaft 11makes just one complete revolution during this phase.

vReferring to FIG. 9, the general arrangement is thus that'the channel 2andthe cassette loader 1 are mounted above each other `between twoparallel side Walls 13S and 136 and rest on the bottom plate `137. Thefilm container 761) through slot 73 freely hanging forward. The film 75follows a path v89 and the paper 76b a path 90 since this material isVthinner and more easily folds, The film 75 slides over the wall into thechannel 2 and stops on the closed slide 42 in' oneof the sections 100,191 or 102 according to the wid-thi ofthe film. Paper 76 is taken by therollers 92 and 93 and removed outward.

Second phase-An empty closed cassette is laid on the opened lid 6. Byanother push on the button 133 both the chains of the film container andthe shaft 11 star-t moving. The lid 6 closes by the intermediary of 'cam1S and the arm 9. The ends 4S of rods 46 and 46 push through theentrance openings 62 of the lock 57 against the lid 55 and push -itsomewhat backward. The levers 30 and 3i go down so that the conic ends48 engage with the ysloping sides 64 of the lock. The latter is pushedfurthe-r downward and the tooth 58 comes free from the notch 59'.

Hereafter the levers 30 and 31 move backward pulling along the lid ofvthe cassette and thus opens the cassette. At the samev time the slide42 is shifted backward since the rollers 38 and 39 pushed against theprojections 40. The til'm'in the channel hereby falls free in the openedcassette.

The levers 30 and 3i move forward again so that successively thecassette closes and the lock is shifted again into its place. The slide42 is'likewise closed again. The locking occurs by an Aupwa-rdmovementof the spindle`46 the end of whichpushes against the side 63 of the lockuntil the tooth 58 slides inthe notch 59.. Thelevers 3% and 31 move alittle down back so that the cones 48 come free whereafter 4the l-id 6with the loader cassette is opened.

[During this second. phase, .the cross bar S1 has moved from position81h to 81a and the rollers 92 and 93 have further turned so that alsothe paper sheet 76 is pulled out.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for use in loading a iilm cassette in an undarkened roomcomprising (a) a cabinet having atop opening and a side opening therein,

(b) door means for closing said side opening,

(c) means for opening and closing said door means in light-tightrelation to said cabinet,

(d) 4said door meals having holder means for holding a hinge-typecassette internally of said cabinet,

(e) cassette-lid .opening and closing means for open-ing and closing thelid of a hinge-type casse-tte,

(f) slide means for sealing said top opening -in said cabinet,

(g) means to open said slide means in timed sequence to the openingmo-vement of said cassette-lid op-ening `and closing means and to closesaid sli-de means in timed rela-tion yto the Clo-sing movement of saidcassette-lid opening and closing means,

so that when said door means is in a closed position and a film isintroduced through the top opening of said cabinet said film falls intoan `open cassette held by said holder means tafter which the lid of thecassette is closed by the eassettedid opening and closing means and thetop opening of the cabinet is sealed by said slide means.

2. Apparatus for use in loading a film cassette in an undarkened roomcomprising (a) a cabinet having a top opening and a side openingtherein,

(b) door means for closing said side opening,

(c) means for opening and closing said door means in light-tightrelation to said ca-binet,

(d) said door means having holder means for holding a hinge-typecassette internally of said ca-binet,

(e) cassette-lid opening and closing means for opening and closing thelid of a hinge-type cassette,

(f) slide means -for sealing said top opening in said cabinet,

g) means to open said slide means in timed sequence to the openingmovement of said cassette-lid opening and closing means and to closesaid slide means in timed relation to the closing movement of saidcassette-lid opening and closing means,

(h) means for opening and closing said door means in timed sequence withthe closing and opening movements respectively of said cassette-lidopening and closing means and the closing and opening movementsrespectively of said slide means for sealing said top opening of saidcabinet,

so that when said door means is in a closed position and a film isintroduced through the top opening of said cabinet said film falls intoan open cassette held by said holder means after which the lid of thecassette is closed by the cassette-lid opening and closing means, thetop opening of lthe cabinet is sealed by said slide means and the dooropening and closing means opens the door means to permit the cassette tobe removed from the holder` means.

3. Apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said cassette-lid opening andclosingl means include:

(a) rod means having a conical portion at one end thereoffor engagingand operating the locking mechanism on the lid of a hinge-typecassette,.

(b) iirst lever means operatively connected to said rod means fordriving said rod in forward and reverse directions,A I ,y

(c) first roller means operatively attached to said first lever means ata point intermediate the ends thereof,

A(d) first cam means abutting said -first roller means for moving saidIfirst lever means in forward and reverse directions, l

(e) second lever means operatively connected to said first lever means,l

(f) second roller means operatively attached to said second lever meansopposite the point of connection -to said first lever means,

(g) holding means intermediate the ends of said second lever means toprevent said second lever means from moving in a lateral direction,

(h) second cam means operatively abutting said second roller means formoving said second roller means and said second lever means in forwardand reverse directions and said first lever means in upward and downwarddirections in timed relation to the movement of said first cam means,

(i) and driving means for driving said first and second cam means.

4. Apparatus as recited in claim 2 wherein said door opening and closingmeans include:

Ca) first arm means attached to said door means,

(b) second arm means operatively attached to said first arm means andhaving a forked end portion opposite the point of attachment to saidfirst arm means,

(c) roller means operatively connected to said second arm means, ii

(d) cam means abutting said roller means for moving said second armmeans in upward and downward directions, and

(e) driving means for ldriving said cam means.

5. Apparatus as recited in claim 2 wherein said slide opening andclosing means include:

(a) slide means,

(b) lever means for operatively engaging said slide means to move saidslide means in forward and reverse directions,

(c) cam means for moving said lever means in forward and reversedirections, and

(d) driving means for operating said cam means in timed sequence withopening and closing movements of said door means.

6. Apparatus as recited in claim 2 wherein (l) said door opening andclosing means include:

(a) first arm means attached to said door means,

(b) second arm means operatively attached to said first arm means andhaving a forked end portion opposite the point of attachment to saidfirst arm means,

(c) first roller means operatively connected to said second arm means,

(d) rst cam means abutting said first roller means for moving saidsecond arm means in upward and downward directions, and

7 Y 8 (e) st ydriving means for drivingsaid "rstcar'n" second levermeans for preventing said second K means, and lever means from moving ina lateral direction,l (Il) wherein saidVl cassette-lid opening andclosing (h) third cam means operatively abutting sai means include:vthird roller means for moving said third roller (a) rodmeans having "alconical portion atv one 5 means and said second lever means in forwardend thereof for engagingA and operating the and reverse directionsandsaid rst lever means locking. mechanism on the `lid of `a hinge-typein upward and downward directions in timed secassette, quence to themovement of said second cam (b) first lever means operatively connectedto Ysaid means.

rod means for driving said 'rod in forward and 10' (i) Asecond drivingmeans for operating said secreverse directions, ond and third cam meansin timed sequence to (c) second roller means operatively attached'tosaid first driving means for driving said first said iirst'lever meansYat a--point intermediate carne means of said door opening and closingthe ends thereof,V Y means.` (d) second cam-means abutting said secondroller 15 Y Y y y mea's for moving said Airstlever ineans in for-Rfrences Cied 1.11 the 51 0f this Paten* ward and reverse directions,UNITED 'STATESPATNTS (eisflrmn Operatwely'comected to 2,900,514 Boucherdata -;ttttae' Aug. is, 1959 (fythird ronr means er ti 1 tt *h d d 2o2,924,202' Berger et al. Jan. '12, 1960 P ra teva ac e rosal 2,925,761Peary et a1. Y Feb. 2s; 1960 second lever means oppositethe'pointof-cont nection to said-first lever means', FOREIGN PATENTS (s)Yholding means Yinnermediate -theends-=of` said 6811.602 YGreat Britainv Oct. 29, 1952

1. APPARATUS FOR USE IN LOADING A FILM CASSETTE IN AN UNDARKENED ROOMCOMPRISING (A) A CABINET HAVING A TOP OPENING AND A SIDE OPENINGTHEREIN, (B) DOOR MEANS FOR CLOSING SAID SIDE OPENING, (C) MEANS FOROPENING AND CLOSING SAID DOOR MEANS IN LIGHT-TIGHT RELATION TO SAIDCABINET, (D) SAID DOOR MEANS HAVING HOLDER MEANS FOR HOLDING AHINGE-TYPE CASSETTE INTERNALLY OF SAID CABINET, (E) CASSETTE-LID OPENINGAND CLOSING MEANS FOR OPENING AND CLOSING THE LID OF A HINGE-TYPECASSETTE, (F) SLIDE MEANS FOR SEALING SAID TOP OPENING IN SAID CABINET,